It’s U.S. or Iran

-

Arizona Republic – Editorial: Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker last addressed Congress seven months ago, reporting that the surge in U.S. troops had significantly reduced violence in Iraq – much more so, in fact, than anyone had anticipated possible. The Arizona Republic

Editorial

Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker last addressed Congress seven months ago, reporting that the surge in U.S. troops had significantly reduced violence in Iraq – much more so, in fact, than anyone had anticipated possible.

On their return to Capitol Hill on Tuesday, they reported still more improvement there, both politically and militarily.

The essence of what they had to say, both to Congress and to the White House, is that conditions in Iraq have improved significantly but remain fragile and reversible.

The Iraqi army has improved markedly but is not yet in a position to guarantee the security of the nation, Petraeus said. Al-Qaida in Iraq has been routed from most of the country, is in disarray in terms of leadership but remains capable of great violence, he said.

Further, he said, numerous other malign actors – including “special groups” like Muqtada al-Sadr’s militia and other groups of terrorists, subversives and criminal bands – retain a real potential to roll back all the hard-won progress of the past 16 months. A case in point, both Petraeus and Crocker noted, is the recent fighting in Basra, where Sadr’s militia – funded, trained and armed by Iran – remains potent.

So, it was in this context that Petraeus said he would recommend a 45-day halt to U.S. troop reductions in Iraq once they reached pre-surge levels in July.

“At the end of that period, we will commence a process of assessment to examine the conditions on the ground and over time determine when we can make recommendations for further reductions,” Petraeus said. “The process will be continuous, with recommendations for further reductions made as conditions permit.”

Considering the potential consequences of a rapid, inflexible troop-reduction schedule, Petraeus’ recommendation for a pause – a “period of consolidation and evaluation” – is hardly surprising. Throw in the general’s impressive record of achievement since the start of the troop surge early last year, and it becomes clear that Petraeus has earned the benefit of the doubt, at the least.

The pressure to reduce the presence of U.S. forces in Iraq is enormous. Some of those pressures are (obviously) political: Petraeus’ audience included all three major candidates for president, two of whom are inclined to a rapid force reduction.

But it is not all political. Petraeus acknowledged that the Iraq and Afghanistan operations have placed enormous strains on the U.S. military. No one is better positioned than Petraeus to assess the limits of service in a war zone.

The general and his political colleague, Crocker, both expressed cautious optimism about progress in Iraq.

Even the recent eruptions of violence in Basra and Baghdad helped demonstrate the central Iraqi government’s willingness to confront Shiite militias and gangs, a step the U.S. has long considered necessary to reach a real peace in Iraq.

Power abhors a vacuum, especially in a region in flux like Iraq. And Petraeus is right to worry that a too-small U.S. presence would give the mullahs of Iran a grand opportunity to fill it there.

Latest news

Land Subsidence in Critical Conditions in Isfahan

Mehdi Toghyani, a member of the Iranian regime’s Majlis (parliament), pointed to the occurrence of land subsidence in various...

Iran’s Actual Inflation Rate Higher Than Official Stats

The state-run Donya-e-eqtesad newspaper, in a report analyzing the "general sentiment" regarding inflation in 2023, has stated that households...

Iranian Workers’ Monthly $136 Wages Can’t Cover $500 Expenses

The lives of a significant portion of the Iranian population are marked by uncertainty, largely because the Iranian economy...

Iranian Nurses Earn Twice Their Wages in Ride-Hailing Services

Reza Aryanpour, a member of the regime’s Majlis (parliament) Health and Treatment Commission, highlighted the growing trend of nurses...

Iran: Unprecedented Record of 152 Million Liters of Gasoline Consumption Per Day

On March 19, Iran set a new historical record in gasoline consumption with 152 million liters consumed in one...

Iran’s Youths Have Highest Unemployment Rate

The Iranian regime’s Eghtesad News website reported that data from the Statistical Center of Iran shows that the youth...

Must read

Raisi’s Execution Tactics Exposed

Ebrahim Raisi will become president of Iran in just...

Iran says US should keep away from nuclear talks

AFP: The United States should remain a "spectator" in...

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you